Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-03-05
CATARRH.

THE TERM CATARRH is APPLIED TO
l. peculiar disorder vi the nOstrils and
adjacent parts, which prevails to an alarm
ing extent and is productive of very serious
consequences.
The mos. prominent and Characteristic
feature is a moroid discharge from the
head. varying In its nature at different
times
In some there is an almost constant flow
of clear, acrid fluid, out oftener an offensive,
purulent or muco- purulent gceenish-yellow
matter is sscreted, which accumulates i'll
the nostrils or drops into the throat, neces'
nose or expectoration, and often by both
processes. Sometimes patients feel as
though their whole head was in state OF
rottenness, so great is the amount OF matter
discharged and SO fetid is its odor. The
patient is greatly annoyed by the constant
dropping into the throat of the morbid mat
ter from the head, and as recumbent posi-
ton naturally favors the flow downward.
his rest is frequently disturbed from this
cause. Many sufferers are obliged to lie
with the head very much elevated in order
to sleep with some degree of comfort;
In others tough, viscid and offensive
phlegm collects behind and above the soft
palate, in the passage between the throat
and head. adhearing to the parts with glu-
ish tenacity. Its lodgment embarrasses
respiration and creates sens ition OF irri
tation and uneasiness III the affected local
ity, which gives rise to constant and al
most irresistible desire TO relieve the dis
comfort by drawing the mucus Into the
throat so us to eject it by the mauth.. This
practice. popularity knowo as hawking"
Is characteristic OF catarrh. and proves as
embarrassing to the one affected as it is
disagreeable to those around him.
Again, the offensive matter hardens and
deposits itself on the membrane in the
4. ape of dry, hard concretions, which are
discharged by way OF the nostrils or throst
in Jumps or fragments OF g deep green tint.
III some cases these incrustations accumu-
late to such An extent Ms to form regular
plug i'll the nose, which obstructs breathing
and produces serious discomfort. SO firm
ly do these incrustations adhere to the
point of attachmenJ that their removal
usually requires the most violent efforts;
not uufrequen,ly u ey have to be torn from
Of notable size is expelled, on which there
are generally traces OF blood, but in some
cases the cast presents tubular appear
ance, being OF exact shape OF the nasal
cavity. Tbs condition is indicative of ul-
ceration, which. in time, may destroy the
bony ST uctore of the nose and produce
subsequent fatteuing OF that organ.
Gases are occasionally met with in which
thick, viscid, Shiny secretion costs the
mem brane of the nasal cavities and then
putrifies, giving rise to a stencil which is
really overpowering and sufficiently fetid to
poison the atmosphere OF q whole room;
and there are Others in which all the secre-
.ions of the membrane arc suspended, caus-
and feverishness in the head and nOse-a
condition popularity known as DRY Ca
tarrh.''
4 he disease speedily extends to the air
face, giving rise to Il distressing sensation
of h avy weight or compression over the
forehead, especially in the region above
and between the eyes. and to feeling OF
fulness, heat, irritation, soreness or pain in
the nostrils near the root Of the nose, as
well as in the upper part of the throat,
above and behind the soft palate. Some.
times there is pain Obstinately fXed in some
particular part as in the temple, on the top
OF the heao, at the back OF the neck, or b.
hind the orbids, and occasionally pain
manifests itself Ia the face of SO severe
character that it is frequently mistaken for
neuralgia.
The breath is always tainted and at times
assumes an exceeding fetid and sickening
odor. In some cases 1t becomes so revolt.
ingly offensive as to render the sufferer an
object Of disgust to himself as well as to
others.
The nasal membrane is thickened and
congested, causing the nose to be stopped
up, sometimes on one side, sometime on the
other, and often on both, giving rise to a
disagreeabe, stuffy sensation in the head,
and occasioning violent and prolonged
parOxysms OF sneezing.
The voice is weak, indistinct and husky
or of nasal character, Displaying sort of
shifting quality. Oftentimes there is con-
is also a sense of irritation in the throat,
and frequent attempts to clear the parts of
phlegm, producing the sound hem" more
or less forcibly. In some cases patients
complain OF an uncomfortable feeling OF
fullness, or choky ensatiOn in the throat,
and in others of Distressing and almost
constant dryness, for the temporary relief
of which they have to swallow frequently.
Others, again, speak of a constant bad or
nauseoUs taste in the mouth or throat
The stomach generally suffers mole or
less aud becomes weak and irritable: the
appetite is capricious and nearly always
| bad in the morning. The patient is LAD
| euid, unable to perform mental or physical
labor with the usual facility, is nervous, de-
pressed in spirits, at times fearful. timjd
| agitated and inclined to drowsiness and
| sleep, the memory weakened and perma
nent impairm ent seriously threatened.
The mucous membrane soon becomes
morbidly sensitive to unfavorable infu-
| ences and in spite OF the utmost care be.
| comes affected from the slightest causes, so
that at last breath of wind upon the lining
of the nose or throat becomes productive OF
cold. and gives rise to serious disturb.
| ances of the respiratory organs. Thus the
patient is subject to frequent and repeated
colds, each attack asgravating the disease
| by giving 1t new impulse and involving a
larger extent or surface than its predecessor.
In this manner the difficulty spreads from
organ to organ, invading the throat, larnyx ,
trachea and bronchial tubes, until, en-
| CTOdculuB IuTLueI anu IurtneT, IL reaches
the finer ramihcations of the broncbi, when
but slight impulse is required to send 1t
| to the lungs. Catarrh may, and often does,
affect other organs in the body. especially
| those containing mucous membrane, such
as the stomach, bowels, kidneys. etc.
By the employment of proper iuhelations
| in the form of medicated vapor (not steam
| or spray we are able to produce immediate
and direct action upon the diseased surface
| in the pharynx and nasal passages, for air
will find itG intO the oto nd
| intricate cavities, where 1t is utterly impos-
sible to make fluid applications By these
meaps every case can be cured.
OzENA.
| Ozena is the professional or technical
name given to an advanced form of catarr b
membrane lining of the nose to the carti-
| lage of the bone. Any case of catarrh may
| end in Czoena, but 1t most frequently occurs
| in those who are naturally scrofulous. The
discharge takes place through the nostrils
or through the throat, and is generally of a
yellowish or greenish yellow color, fire.
Quently tipged with blood and almost al.
ways attended by an offensivesmell. In the
language of DR.. Wood, of Philadelphia,
The disease is one of the most obdurate
and dsagreeable which the physician has
to encounter. In bad cases the breath Of the
patient becomes so revolving as to isolate
him from society and to render him an OBJ.
ject of disgust even to himself" In some
cases pieces OF bone become separated and
slough off, leaving deep. unhealthy ulcers,
which secrete a bloody matter, and are ex.
treme difficult to heal. After cz9na has
continued some time the sense of smell
usually becomes impaired and often lost
Deafness is one of its most common conse-
quencss, and results from its extension
through the eustachia n tubes to the internal
ear. Pains in the head and over the frontal
sinuses, impairing memory. and even in.
sanity frequently spring from its extension
to the brain. The greatest danger. how
ever, because the most common, is that 1t
will extend downward and affect the lungs
In most cases of pulmonary disease catarrh
is present in some degree, and in many in
stances 1t causes large share of the pa.
tient's discomfort.
which are liable to spring from scrofulous
catarrh or oz9na, there are others which, If
less dangerous, are sufficiently unpleasant